Jeremiah 2

Gods Case Against Israel

1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,2 Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the Lord: I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown.3 Israel was holiness to the Lord, The firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them, says the Lord.4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel.5 Thus says the Lord: What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters?6 Neither did they say, Where is the Lord, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?7 I brought you into a bountiful country, To eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land And made My heritage an abomination.8 The priests did not say, Where is the Lord? And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me; The prophets prophesied by Baal, And walked after things that do not profit.9 Therefore I will yet bring charges against you, says the Lord, And against your childrens children I will bring charges.10 For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And see if there has been such a thing. 11 Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate, says the Lord.13 For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisternsbroken cisterns that can hold no water.14  Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he plundered?15 The young lions roared at him, and growled; They made his land waste; His cities are burned, without inhabitant.16 Also the people of Noph and Tahpanhes Have broken the crown of your head.17 Have you not brought this on yourself, In that you have forsaken the Lord your God When He led you in the way?18 And now why take the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the River?19 Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you, Says the Lord God of hosts.20 For of old I have broken your yoke and burst your bonds; And you said, I will not transgress, When on every high hill and under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot.21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, Yet your iniquity is marked before Me, says the Lord God.23 How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,24 A wild donkey used to the wilderness, That sniffs at the wind in her desire; In her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves; In her month they will find her.25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said, There is no hope. No! For I have loved aliens, and after them I will go.26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, So is the house of Israel ashamed; They and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets,27 Saying to a tree, You are my father, And to a stone, You gave birth to me. For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble They will say, Arise and save us.28 But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.29 Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me, says the Lord.30 In vain I have chastened your children; They received no correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.31 O generation, see the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, We are lords; We will come no more to You?32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.33 Why do you beautify your way to seek love? Therefore you have also taught The wicked women your ways.34 Also on your skirts is found The blood of the lives of the poor innocents. I have not found it by secret search, But plainly on all these things.35 Yet you say, Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, I have not sinned.36 Why do you gad about so much to change your way? Also you shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were ashamed of Assyria.37 Indeed you will go forth from him With your hands on your head; For the Lord has rejected your trusted allies, And you will not prosper by them.

JEREMIAH 2

Israel's Unfaithfulness

1 The [Lord] told me

2 to go to Jerusalem and tell everyone that he had said:
When you were my young bride,
you loved me and followed me
through the barren desert.

3 You belonged to me alone,
like the first part of the harvest,
and I severely punished
those who mistreated you.

4 Listen, people of Israel, t

5 and I, the [Lord], will speak.
I was never unfair
to your ancestors,
but they left me
and became worthless
by following worthless idols.

6 Your ancestors refused
to ask for my help,
though I had rescued them
from Egypt
and led them through
a treacherous, barren desert,
where no one lives
or dares to travel.

7 I brought you here to my land,
where food is abundant,
but you made my land filthy
with your sins.

8 The priests who teach my laws
don't care to know me.
Your leaders rebel against me;
your prophets
give messages from Baal
and worship false gods.

The [Lord] Accuses His People

9 I will take you to court
and accuse you
and your descendants
*

10 of a crime that no nation
has ever committed before.
Just ask anyone, anywhere,
from the eastern deserts
to the islands in the west.

11 You will find that no nation
has ever abandoned its gods
even though they were false.
I am the true and glorious God,
but you have rejected me
to worship idols.

12 Tell the heavens
to tremble with fear!

13 You, my people, have sinned
in two ways—
you have rejected me, the source
of life-giving water,
and you've tried to collect water
in cracked and leaking pits
dug in the ground.

14 People of Israel,
you weren't born slaves;
you were captured in war.

15 Enemies roared like lions
and destroyed your land;
towns lie burned and empty.

16 Soldiers from the Egyptian towns
of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked your skulls.

17 It's all your own fault!
You stopped following me,
the [Lord] your God,

18 and you trusted the power
of Egypt and Assyria.t

19 Your own sins will punish you,
because it was a bitter mistake
for you to reject me
without fear of punishment.
I, the [Lord] All-Powerful,
have spoken.

20 Long ago you left me
and broke all ties between us,
refusing to be my servant.
Now you worship other gods
by having sex
on hilltops or in the shade
of large trees.t

21 You were a choice grapevine,
but you have become
a wild, useless vine.

Israel Is Stained //with Guilt

22 The [Lord] said:
People of Israel,
you are stained with guilt,
and no soap or bleach
can wash it away.

23 You deny your sins
and say, “We aren't unclean.
We haven't worshiped Baal.”t
But think about what you do
in Hinnom Valley.t
You run back and forth
like young camels,
as you rush to worship one idol
after another.

24 You are a female donkey
sniffing the desert air,
wanting to mate
with just anyone.
You are an easy catch!

25 Your shoes are worn out,
and your throat is parched
from running here and there
to worship foreign gods.
“Stop!” I shouted,
but you replied, “No!
I love those gods too much.”

26 You and your leaders
are more disgraceful
than thieves—
you and your kings,
your priests and prophets

27 worship stone idols
and sacred poles
as if they had created you
and had given you life.
You have rejected me,
but when you're in trouble,
you cry to me for help.

28 Go cry to the gods you made!
There should be enough of them
to save you,
because Judah has as many gods
as it has towns.

Israel Rebels against //the [Lord]

29 The [Lord] said to Israel:
You accuse me of not saving you,
but I say you have rebelled.

30 I tried punishing you,
but you refused
to come back to me,
and like fierce lions
you killed my prophets.

31 Now listen to what I say!
Did I abandon you in the desert
or surround you with darkness?
You are my people,
yet you have told me,
“We'll do what we want,
and we refuse
to worship you!”

32 A bride could not forget
to wear her jewelry
to her wedding,
but you have forgotten me
day after day.

33 You are so clever
at finding lovers
that you could give lessons
to a prostitute.

34 You killed innocent people
for no reason at all.
And even though their blood
can be seen on your clothes,

35 you claim to be innocent,
and you want me to stop
being angry with you.
So I'll take you to court,
and we'll see who is right.

36 When Assyria let you down,
you quickly ran to Egypt,
but you'll find no help there,

37 and you will leave
in great sadness.t
I won't let you find help
from those you trust.